Timer mechanism



E' W. SWAYZE TIMER MECHANISM July 31, 1951 Filed Dec. 22, 1947 INVENTD IE'RNESTW E wane WW ATTORNEY Patented July 31, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE TIMER 'MECHANISM Ernest W. ,Swa-yze,Clay, N. -Y.,v assignor toEasy Washing Machine Corporation, "Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation ofDelaware lipplication'December 22, 1947,:SerialNo. 793,065

8 Claims. (01. -:1611) "This invention :relates 'to .timing mechanism,andmore particularly to 'a timing mechanism, the operation of which isinitiated manually.

.ln timing devices of the type described which maybe initially set in astarting position manually and thereafter be caused to operate through acycle by a clock or the equivalent, there is danger of the operatorinterfering with the pre- -xcision timing cycle through abnormal orforced manipulation of the manual setting or starting means.

Such timers areingeneral delicate in construction and it is notpractical to construct them so as to withstand unintentional manualcontrol which might disturb the precision timing cycle beyond thatnecessary for setting. Yet dis- .turbanceof the cycle of operation byunintentional manipulation of the manual control may effect disturbingirregularity in the timing cycle.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention .to provide a timercontrol whose operation is manually initiated, and in whichunintentional interference with the timer operation is inherentlyprevented once the timer is manually set to begin its timing cycle.

Another object of the invention i to provide a timer-control which isrelatively small in size, -light *in' weight, and which neverthelessaffords the advantage of preventing manual interference "with itsoperation through unwarranted manipulation of the manual startingmechanism.

Still another object of the invention is taprovide in conjunction with atime controlled cam operated switch, a manual control for initiatingoperationof the timer and setting the cam which shall be positivelyreleased'from the cam upon the positioning of the cam in proper positionfor *tlmer operation.

The above and other novel features of the invention :will appear morefully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. It

is expressly understood, however, that the drawings are vemployed forpurposes of illustration only, and are not designed as .a definition of.the

limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to theappended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference chara'ctersindicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the :timer as- ;sembly Figure 2 .is asection taken substantially on the line'2--2 of Figure 1.;

.Figure 3 is an enlargedfragmentary sectional wiew taken substantiallyon :the -line 3-3 .of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section taken substantially :on the line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional viewsimilar to Figured, with the parts moved tothe on position; .and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the clutch spring and the cooperatingnotches of the coupling members.

Referring to Figure L'there is shown a frame 10 having, projecting fromthe front thereof,ea

manual control .knob l2 and control shaft l3, supporting on therearthereof, an electric timing clock motor [4. Between the side platesl6 and l8 of the frame is positioned a cam ,coopcrating with aswitcheoperatingspringfinger 2-2, the latter being mounted upon atransverse insulatingmember 24 carried by theplates I6 and The timermotor I4 is adapted to drive through a train of gears, including pinion'26,

gears 28 and 30, a largegear 32 mounted upon ashaft 3d. The gear 32 (seeFigure 3) is rotatably :mounted upon an annular shoulder 35 formedon-the shaft hub 36. The cam member 20, being preferably formed frominsulating material in the disclosed embodiment is keyed to the .hub 35.

The gear 32 is frictionally held upon the hub shoulder 35 by a spiderspring having resilient arms 39, the spring being rigidly secured uponthe shoulder 35 by a riveting over I of the end of the hub as at 40. Thespider spring bears againsta friction disk 42 and thereby provides auniform light friction drive between the clock-driven gear 32 and thecam 20.

In order to provide for the rotation of the cam '20 to a startingposition, manual mean are provided to rotate the cam and its hub 36relative to the gear 32. Such rotation may be effected without damage tothe clock M by reason of the light friction drive which permits slippagefor this shaft [3 is immediately disconnected from the cam 20 uponmovement of the cam 20 to the starting position. To secure this end,there are provided adjacent notched disk clutch elements 48 and 50, theformer being fixed for rotation with ,the shaft I3 and the latter beingkeyed to the hub 36. The disk 5|, fixed to hub 36, is provided with aradiallug, -formed with a knee portion 53 and an axial extending endportion, the knee portion lying in a notch 55 of the disk 50 and the hubend extending into a slot 51 formed in the cam 20 to key the cam to thehub.

A light spring wire having a semi-circular resilient portion 52 issecured to the disk 48 by suitable means such as an upstruck finger 54clamping the end 56 of the spring wire securely to the disk 48. Theother end of the spring wire is provided with an axially parallelextending section 58 adapted to be received in the notches 6D and 62 ofthe disks 48 and 50 to couple or key the disks for rotation together.The free end of the spring wire is extended and formed into a returnbent loop 64 which is curved inwardly slightly as at 66, the curvaturebeing such as to be adapted to engage a round stop pin or post 68secured to the frame side plate l6 and ride over the stop pin, for thepurpose of lifting the axial portion 58 from the notch 62 to release anddisconnect the disks 48 and 50 from one another. By disconnecting thedisks 48 and 50 in this manner, the clock is allowed withoutinterference to drive the cam at a predetermined rate as may be desiredthrough the friction drive and gear 32.

The cam 25 is notched as at 10 and 12 to engage the stop pin 68 toprovide suitable stops to limit the over-all angular rotation of the cam20. A suitable profile as at M is provided to engage the end of the leafspring 22 to thereby flex the same to complete a contact with thecontact leaves 16 and 18 as may be desired. The contact made by thespring leaf 22 and contact leaf 16 may close the circuit to the timermotor I4 upon moving the cam to the starting position as shown in Figure5, and may open the circuit to the motor upon rotation by the motor backto the position shown in Figures 4 or 2. A circuit to another device maybe broken by the change in profile 15, opening contacts 1-6 and 18. Suchcircuit may control the length of flow of water in a washing apparatussuch as a dish washer or the like, where the quantity of water is to beaccurately controlled by the lapse of a fixed period of time.

It will be observed that, upon the manual rotation of the shaft 44 andthe disks 48 and 50 to the starting position shown in Figure 5, the

end portion 66 of the spring wire is such as to engage the outer roundedsurface of the post 68 and thereafter be cammed radially outward to liftthe axial length 53 of the spring wire from the notches (ill and 62, aspreviously described. As soon as the wire is lifted from the notch 62,the resisting torque of the motor acting through the friction clutch 42is disconnected from the manually rotated shaft [3 with the result that1 the operator will unconsciously rotate the shaft a few degreesfurther, bringing the curved portion of the spring 66 over the post 68to a slightly hooked position such as will hold the manual control inthe end position shown in Figure 5. The operator can thereafter manuallyreturn the hand control l2 to the starting position, but such actionrequires deliberation upon the part of the operator, and the resultantunhooking of the end 66 from the post 68. The mechanism is such thatwith the natural tendency of the operator, the clutch will be released,and there will be no tendency for the operator to in any way disturb theclock operation of the cam by the timing motor once such release takeseifect. Thus, the timing motor, through its cam, may be accurately"designed to control a function which must op- 4 erate for apredetermined length of time for proper results.

Upon the deliberate return of the handle to the initial position, aswould be proper at a time subsequent when it is desired to have theapparatus repeat its cycle, the shaft I3 is rotated counterclockwise,causing the axially directed section 58 of the spring wire to ride alongthe surface contour 80 of the disk 48 and over the sloping portion 82,whereupon the end position is reached and the axial portion 58 isdropped into the notches '60 and 62. The switch is thus placed in theinitial position for actuation to the starting position, that is,movement of the switch parts from the position shown in Figure 4 to thatshown in Figure 5. Thus normally, when starting, the operator will turnthe knob to move the disk 48 from the position shown in dotted outlinein Figure 5, where it was left on the previous operation, back to theposition shown similarly in Figure 4, whence it is immediately returnedto the position shown in Figure 5, unless, of course, in the meantimethe knob has been turned back to the position of Figure 4, followingprevious timer actuation of the cam 20 back to the position shown inFigure 4.

While a timing clock has been shown and described, any source ofsubstantially constant speed may be employed to drive the cam through afriction drive without altering the invention described. Additionally,the device may be used for various appliances and in various circuits,aside from use in a dish washing apparatus as suggested.

Although a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it is to be understood that the invention is not limitedthereto. As various changes in the construction and arrangement may bemade without departing from the spirit of the invention, as will beapparent to those skilled in the art, reference will be had to theappended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a timer mechanism, an electric timer clock, a switch operatingcam, a, friction drive connecting said clock with said cam for causingsaid cam to normally be driven by said clock, switch contacts operatedby said cam, said cam being adapted to close said contacts when in oneposition, and to open said contacts after clock driven movement thereofto another position, manual means for moving said cam in an oppositedirection to the clock movement thereof by slipping said friction drive,said means including a clutch between said cam and manual means, meansfor releasing said clutch upon reaching a preset position, and means forsecuring said manual means against retrograde movement op erative uponrelease of said clutch.

2. In a timer mechanism, a motor, a switch operating cam, a frictiondrive connecting said motor with said cam for causing said cam tonormally be driven by said motor, switch contacts operated by said cam,said cam being adapted to close said contacts when in one position, andto open said contacts after motor driven movement thereof to anotherposition, manual means for moving said cam in an opposite direction tothe motor movement thereof by slipping said friction drive, said meansincluding a clutch'between said cam and manual means, and means forreleasing said clutch upon reaching a preset position.

3. In a timer mechanism, an electric time clock, a. switch operatingcam, a friction drive connecting said clock with said cam for causingsaid cam to normally be uniformly driven by said clock, switch contactsoperated b said cam, said cam being adapted to close said contacts whenin one position, and to open said contacts after clock driven movementthereof to another position, manual means for moving said cam in anopposite direction to the clock movement thereof by slipping saidfriction drive, said mean including a clutch between said cam and manualmeans including adjacent notched disks and a radially disposable keyadapted to lie axially in said notches, and means for releasing saidclutch upon reaching a preset position by radially moving said key fromone of said notches.

4. In a timer mechanism, an electric timer clock, a switch operatingcam, a friction drive connecting said clock with said cam for causingsaid cam to normally be uniformly driven by said clock, switch contactsoperated by said cam, said cam being adapted to close said contacts Whenin one position, and to open said contacts after clock driven movementthereof to another position, manual means for moving said cam in anopposite direction to the clock movement thereof by slipping saidfriction drive, said means including a clutch between said cam andmanual means including adjacent notched disks and a radially disposablekey adapted to lie axially in said notches, means for releasing saidclutch upon reaching a preset position by radially moving said key fromone of said notches, and means for securing said manual means againstretrograde movement operative upon release of said clutch.

5. In a timer mechanism, an electric timer clock, a switch operatingcam, a friction drive connecting said clock with said cam for causingsaid cam to normally be uniformly driven by said clock, switch contactsoperated by said cam, said cam being adapted to close said contacts whenin one position, and to open said contacts after clock driven movementthereof to another position, manual means for moving said cam in anopposite direction to the clock movement thereof by slipping saidfriction drive, said means including a clutch between said cam andmanual means including adjacent notched disks and a radially disposablekey adapted to lie axially in said notches, and means associated withsaid radially disposable key for securin said manual means againstretrograde movement operative upon release of said clutch.

6. In a timer mechanism, a timer motor, rotatable mean frictionallydriven by said motor for proceeding through a. prescribed cycle ofoperation, manual means for moving said rotatable means to a startingposition, said manual means including a releasable clutch connection tosaid rotatable means, said clutch comprising adjacent rotatable diskssecured to said rotatable means and manual means respectively, each diskhaving a peripheral notch therein, and a resilient member carried. byone of said disks and having an axially extending portion adapted to beradially movable within said notches, and means to radially move saidportion out of the notch of the other member upon moving said rotatablemeans to said starting position.

7. In a timer mechanism, a timer motor, rotatable means frictionallydriven by said motor for proceeding through a prescribed cycle ofoperation, manual means for moving said rotatable means to a startingposition, said manual means includin a releasable clutch connection tosaid rotatable means, said clutch comprising adjacent rotatable diskssecured to said rotatable means and manual means respectively, each diskhaving a peripheral notch therein, and a resilient member carried by oneof said disks and having an axially extending portion adapted to beradially movable within said notches, means to radially move saidportion out of the notch of the other member upon moving said rotatablemeans to starting position, and. independent means for holding saidportion out of the said last named notch.

8. In a timer mechanism, a motor, a switchoperating cam, a frictiondrive connecting said motor with said cam for causing said cam tonormally be driven by said motor, switch contacts operated by said cam,said cam being adapted to close said contacts when in one position, andto open said contacts in another position, said contacts being openedand closed after motor driven movement of said cam between saidpositions, manual means for moving said cam in an opposite direction tothe motor movement thereof by slipping said friction drive, said meansincluding a clutch between said cam and manual means, and means forreleasing said clutch upon reaching a pre-set position.

ERNEST W. SWAYZE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,226,810 Redfield et a1 May 22,1917 1,919,256 Porter July 25, 1933 2,106,042 Stark Jan. 18, 19382,230,191 Knight Jan. 28, 1941 2,253,752 Bemis Aug. 26, 1941 2,274,635Rhodes Mar. 3, 1942

